Internal combustion engine



1943. J. w. ANDERSON ETAL 2,309,291

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 'Filed'Oct. 10. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FICA.

n The Nn R, "m m m b n P In Patented Jan. 26, 1943 INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINE.

John W. Anderson, Auburn, N. Y., and Ralph J.

Hooker, Manchester, Conn., assignors to American Locomotive Company, NewYork, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application October 10, 1941, Serial No. 414,434

5 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and moreparticularly to valve-operating mechanism therefor.

An object of the presentinvention is to provide a valve-operatingmechanism including a device having improved crosshead guides, thedevice having a three-point bearing on the cylinder head.

A further object is to provide in a valve-operating mechanism,simplified means of securing the crosshead guide and fuel injectornozzle to the cylinder head.

Other and further objects of this invention will appear from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawings and the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure lis a sectional View taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2,shwing a portion ofan internal combustion engine including the valve-operating mechanism ofthe present invention, parts being shown in full; Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line IIIIIIof Fig. 2, parts being shown in full and parts being broken away; Fig. 4is a side elevation of a crosshead guide forming part of thevalve-operating mechanism, a crosshead being indicated in dot and dashlines; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the crosshead guide of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isan enlarged front elevation of a crosshead of the valve-operatingmechanism; Fig. 7 is an end view of the crosshead shown in Fig. 6,viewed from the right thereof; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of thecrosshead of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, only one cylinder 1 of the internalcombustion engine 2 is shown. However it will be understood that thepresent invention will ordinarily be employed in a multicylinder engineand that the structure shown in the drawings will be similar for eachcylinder of the engine. The cylinder I is closed at its upper end bycylinder head 3 secured to the cylinder by bolts 4. Four valve ports 5are formed in the bottom wall 6 of the cylinder head above the cylinder,there being two similar inlet ports and two similar exhaust ports. Theinlet ports are transversely aligned and the exhaust ports aretransversely aligned. One pair of similar ports is connected to anopening 1 in one side of the cylinder head by a common passageway 8, and

the other pair of similar ports is connected to a i substantiallysimilar opening on the opposite side of the cylinder head by asubstantially similar common passageway. A manifold 9 is secured to thecylinder head in communication with passageway 8 and a manifold I0 issecured to the cylinder head in communication with the other passageway.

The ports are controlledby valves H. For the purpose of understandingthe present invention it is immaterial which valves are inlet valves andwhich valves are exhaust valves. However, for the purpose of the presentdescription, the valves shown in Fig. 1 will be considered the inletvalves.

As the'two inlet valves are simultaneously operated in the samedirection they are known as dual inlet valves. They perform the functionof a single large inlet valve controllinga single large inlet port.Similarly the exhaust valves are known as dual exhaust valves.

The valves H each have a stem l2 sliding in a guide l3 and extendingabove the top wall M of the cylinder head. They are held in port-closedposition by springs l5 disposed around the valve stems, seated at theirbottoms on the top wall l4, and pressing at their tops against valvespring washers 16, secured tothe valve stems in a-wellknown manner byconical nuts I l and nut-retainingsplit rings [8. The valve stemsprojectslightly above the top faces of the washers.

The valve-operating mechanism is indicated generally by the referencenumeral I19. It includes a rocker shaft 20, which .is mounted in fourposts 2| secured to the cylinder head by stud bolts 22. The particularmounting of the rocker shaftforms no part of the present invention. Inthe present instance it is secured in the posts againstrotation relativethereto by the bolts 22 which pass through the shaft and posts, theshafts having fiat portions upon which the nuts of the bolts seat. Theposts may be made separately or may be connected in pairs by webs asshown in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the two postsopposite the-inlet valves are formed, as a single casting. The other twoposts are similarly constructed.

Shaft 29 extends longitudinally of the cylinder head, as is shown inFig. 2, at one side of an inlet and an exhaust valve. Arocker arm.23extends to the inlet valves and a rocker arm 24 extends to the exhaustvalves, the rocker arms being mounted at intermediate portions on therocker shaft for rocking relative thereto. The rocker arms fit betweenadjacent posts, longitudinal movement of therocker arms relative to theshaft thereby being prevented.

A push rod 25 is pivotally connected to the outer end of eachrocker armand dependstothe cam shaft (not known) in the usualmannenthe push rodspassing through the cylinder head and cylinder block.

An adjustable part or screw 23 is secured to the inner end of eachrocker arm. Each adjusting screw consists of a threaded body portion 27engaging a threaded orifice 28 in the rocker arm, a lock nut 29 engagingthe top face of the rocker arm, and a convexly curved head formedintegrally on the lower end of the body portion 21. The top face of thebody portion 21 is slotted for application of a screw driver to effectadjustment. A separate part serving as a slide block 3! is formed with aconcave recess 32 which engages the convex head 3!) and a splitretaining ring 33 holds the block and head together. The slide block isthus mounted on the head for universal movement relative thereto. It maybe made of wear-resistant metal insuring long life.

A crosshead guide device 34 is disposed between the valve stems andvalve springs in such a way that the valve stems and valve springs areall exterior to the guide device and thus accessible for inspection asis clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The device 34 is best shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. It is designed toprovide a three-point support, such support giving stability to thedevice. Two of the supports are provided by the orificed parts 35 andthe third support, which is intermediate the two parts 35 and spacedlaterally therefrom, is provided by a solid part 35. Two crossheadguides 31 are formed in the device 34, one disposed between the inletvalves and one disposed between the exhaust valves. The device 34 is anintegral structure and the crosshead guides are therefor formed with theparts 35 and 35 as one piece. Each guide includes an outer guideway 35and an inner guideway 39. The guideways 38 and 39 are of block formationhaving vertical channels 40 and 41 respectively. The guideways 39 areconnected to their respective opposite guideways 38 by two webs 42.

Guideways 39 are connected to the part 33 by legs 43 of a V-shaped yoke44, and are sufliciently spaced to provide room for a fuel injectornozzle 45 which is disposed over the center of the cylinder and extends,through an orifice 45 in the cylinder head, to th cylinder in the usualmanner,'and projects upwardly from the top wall I4, the projectingportion having a shoulder for seating it upon the wall 14 and a pipeconnection extending from one side thereof. 'Part 36 is shorter thanparts 35, extending upwardly from the top wall [4 of the cylinder headthe same distance that the injector nozzle extends thereabove.

Stud bolts 4! secure the parts 35 to the cylinder head, and a clamp 48,seating at its outer end on the part 36 and at its inner end on theinjector nozzle 45, secures both the part 35 and the injector nozzle 45to the cylinder head, the clamp 48 being secured to the cylinder head bya stud bolt 49 which is disposed between its ends and extends throughthe apex of the V-shaped yoke 44.

The device 34 provides a simple way of securing theinjector nozzle tothe cylinder head, that is to say, it is only necessary to remove onebolt, the

bolt 49, in order to remove the injector nozzle,

without disturbing the valves or valve springs.

A crosshead 50 slides in each crosshead guide, and as the crossheads aresimilar only one will be described, namely the crosshead shown in Fig. 1and enlarged in Figs. 6 to 8.

The crosshead includes an arm 51 extending to one inlet valve I l. Awear disc 52 is secured in a socket 53 formed in this arm, and this weardisc operably engages the top of the adjacent valve ll. Another arm 54extends in the opposite direction to the other inlet valve I i of thesame set of dual valves. A threaded orifice 55 is formed in the outerend of arm 54 and an adjustable part or screw 55 is threaded in thisorifice and secured at an adjusted position therein by the lock nut 51,the lower end of the screw 53 projecting below the bottom face of thearm 54 and operably engaging the top of the adjacent inlet valve l l.The top face of the screw 55 is slotted for application of a screwdriver to effect adjustment.

Crosshead 55 further includes vertical shoes 58 extending at rightangles to the arms 5i and 54. The shoes slidably engage the channels 45and 4! of the crosshead guide adjacent the inlet valves H, adapting thecrosshead to move vertically in the guide. Each shoe is similar to arectangular bar in shapagrooved somewhat to reduce the weight thereof.The shoes are connected to'the arms by an integral hollow body portion59, the shoes having portionsintegral with the body'portion 59 andportions extending upwardly above the arms 5| and 54, the cross headbeing T-shaped in elevation, as is shown in Fig. 6.

A seat 53 is formed in the crosshead by a circular insert 5i disposed ina recess 62 in the top face of the body portion 59 between the shoes,the seat being even with the top of the arms 5| and 54. Thus the seat isdisposed intermediate the ends of the shoes. Seat 53 is operablyengageable by slide block 3!. The crosshead rests due to gravity ontopof the valve stems and preferably a slight clearance is provided betweenthe slide block 3! and the seat 55 when the valves are closed,permitting expansion of the valves due to heat. The adjustment of screw26 insures proper operation of the valves by the rocker arm and furtherpermits a suitable clearance to be obtained.

The sides of the shoes closely fit in their channels with only a workingclearance, thereby preventing lateral movement of the crosshead, and thesliding engagement of the rocker arm with the crosshead minimizes anytendency to tilt the crosshead and to cause binding of the shoes intheir channels during the vertical movement. The tendency to produce thetilting is further minimized by continuing the shoes and their channelsabove the surface of engagement between the crosshead and rocker arm,thereby insuring a smooth and free vertical movement of the crosshead.

In the raised position of the crosshead, the body portion issufficiently spaced from the wall i4, and the arms from the webs 42, toallow full downward movement of the crosshead. 7

When the crosshead is inserted in the guide during the assemblage of theengine, if its axis does not coincide with the axis of theguide, truealignment can be obtained by adjusting screw 56. This insures perfectlyfree sliding of the crosshead in the guides and allows for differencesin valve stem lengths and other irregularities.

Slide block 35 is free to'rest evenly onthe seat 63 due to the universalconnection between the slide block and adjusting screw head 35aforedescribed.

The valve-operating mechanism, as will be seen from the foregoingdescription, provides for simultaneous opening of the dual valves bytherocker arm and simultaneousclosingof the valves by the springs, thesprings securing full closing of the valves, the rocker arm in thisposition of the valves being free from pressure engagement upon thecrosshead.

While the exhaust valves and their associated parts are not completelyshown in the drawings, it will be understood that they will beordinarily similar to the inlet valves and their corresponding parts.

While there has been hereinbefore described an approved embodiment ofthis invention, it will be understood that many and various changes andmodifications in form, arrangement of parts and details of constructionthereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventionand that all such changes and modifications as fall Within the scope ofthe appended claims are contemplated as a part of this invention.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder; a cylinder headhaving a fuel injector nozzle orifice in the central portion thereof andtwo inlet ports and two exhaust ports for said cylinder disposed aroundsaid orifice; a fuel injector nozzle disposed in said orifice and havinga part extending outwardly from said head; a common inlet passageway forsaid inlet ports; a common exhaust passageway for said exhaust ports;dual inlet valves, each controlling one of said inlet ports; dualexhaust valves, each controlling one of said exhaust ports, each of saidvalves having a stem extending outwardly from said head, said stemsbeing spaced from each other; a device secured to said head andsupported thereon at three points of said device, said device having acrosshead guide between said inlet valve stems and a part extendingoutwardly therefrom providing one of said supports; a crosshead slidablymounted in said guide, having two arms operably engageable each with oneof said inlet valve stems, said device further having another crossheadguide between said exhaust valve stems, another part extending outwardlyfrom said other crosshead guide, providing another of said supports, anda part connecting said guides and extending outwardly therefrom betweenan inlet valve stem and the exhaust valve stem adjacent theretoproviding the other of said supports; another crosshead slidably mountedin said other guide, having two arms opera bly engageable each with oneof said exhaust valve stems; separate means for operating each of saidorossheads; a clamp engaging at one end said injector nozzle and at itsother end said guide-connecting part; and means disposed between saidclamp ends securing said clamp to said head.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder; a cylinder headhaving a fuel injector nozzle orifice in the central portion thereof andtwo inlet ports and two exhaust ports for said cylinder, disposed aroundsaid orifice; a fuel injector nozzle disposed in said orifice and havinga part extending outwardly from said head; a common inlet passageway forsaid inlet ports; a common exhaust passageway for said exhaust ports;dual inlet valves, each controlling one of said inlet ports; dualexhaust values, each controlling one of said exhaust ports, each of saidvalves having a stem extending outwardly from said head, said stemsbeing spaced from each other; a device secured to said head andsupported thereon at three points of said device, said device having acrosshead guide between sa d inlet valve stems and a part extendingoutwardly therefrom providing one of said supports; means at saidsupport securing said device at said part to said head; a crossheadslidably mounted in said guide, having two arms operably engageable eachwith one of said inlet valve stems, said device further having anothercrosshead guide between said exhaust valve stems, and another partextending outwardly from said other crosshead guide, providing anotherof said supports; means at said other support securing said device atsaid other part to said head, said device further having a partconnecting said guides and extending outwardly therefrom between aninlet valve stem and the exhaust valve stem adjacent thereto providingat its outer end the other of said supports; another crosshead slidablymounted in said other guide, having two arms operably engageable eachwith one of said exhaust Valve stems; separate means for operating eachof said crossheads; a clamp engaging at one end said injector nozzle andat its other end said guide connecting part; and means disposed betweensaid clamp ends securing said clamp to said head for securing saidinjector nozzle and said device at said last mentioned part to saidhead.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder; a cylinder head;dual inlet and dual exhaust valves in said head having their stemsextending therebeyond in spaced relation about the center of said head;a fuel injector nozzle disposed at said center, having a pipe connectionextending from one side directed toward the space between an inlet valvestem and an exhaust valve stem adjacent thereto; a crosshead for theinlet valves; a crosshead for the exhaust valves; a unitary crossheadguide device having a yoke between the other of said inlet and exhaustvalve stems, and at the side of said nozzle opposite said pipeconnection side, a crosshead guide within the space between said inletvalve stems for said inlet valve crosshead, formed integral with onebranch of said yoke, and another crosshead guide within the spacebetween said exhaust valve stems for said exhaust valve crosshead,formed integral with the other branch of said yoke, said crossheadguides being disposed respectively opposite the other sides of saidnozzle; and means securing said device to said head.

4. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder; a cylinder head;dual valves in said head having their stems extending therebeyond; acrosshead for said valves having a body disposed between the valve stemsand arms resting on the outer ends of said stems; and a crosshead guide,said guide and said body having adjacent faces at opposite sides of saidbody, one of each of said adjacent faces being provided with alongitudinal groove and the other adjacent face .with a longitudinaltongue slidably engaging said groove, permitting said crosshead to movein a direction axially of said body and confining it against axialrotative movement about its axis.

5. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder; 2. cylinderhead; dual inlet and dual exhaust valves in said head having their stemsextending therebeyond in spaced relation about the center of said head;a crosshead for the inlet valves; a crosshead for the exhaust valves; aunitary crosshead guide device having a yoke disposed between one ofsaid inlet valve stems and an adjacent exhaust valve stem, a crossheadguide within the space between said inlet valve stems for said inletvalve crosshead, formed integral with one branch of said yoke, andanother crosshead guide within the spacebetween said exhaust shoesdisposed in said channels preventing rotative movement of saidcrossheads about their axes; and means securing said device to saidhead.

JOHN W. ANDERSON. RALPH J. HOOKER.

